August 8, 2023
XKool, a Chinese firm, is using AI to automate the whole building design process, from establishing masterplans to preparing construction drawings. In China, the app has over 50,000 users, and an English version of its image-to-image AI tool, LookX, has recently been released.
Wanyu He, the creator of XKool and an architect from Shenzhen, China, claims that AI allows her to swiftly design a hotel with moving rooms, automated services, and building plans. Pipes, cables, and services are optimized, and industrial construction plans are developed. Using this method, a 500-room hotel was erected in just four and a half months.
XKool’s goal is to deliver an all-in-one platform that uses AI to help with everything from designing masterplan plans based on supplied factors like daylight needs, space standards, and local planning rules, to producing interiors and construction details. It has also created a tool for converting a 2D photograph of a structure into a 3D model and converting a list of room sizes into floor plans.
Neil Leach, author of “Architecture in the Age of Artificial Intelligence,” points out AI’s ability to outperform human architects in strategic thinking and quick analysis. Martha Tsigkari from Foster + Partners sees AI as a solution for complex design choices that are costly or time-consuming with traditional methods. She stresses AI’s power to improve understanding of building functionality, leading to eco-friendlier and efficient designs. Tsigkari cautions against replacing human judgment with AI, highlighting its role as a human-guided tool.
The sources for this piece include an article in Guardian.
